Good news for health in budget – but more needed for research: AMA (WA)

“We understand how hard it was to find additional funding for health and we had been expecting to see a cut. We are happy to see the increase in the total state health budget to more than over $8 billion,” AMA (WA) President Dr Richard Choong said.

“This is historically the highest level ever and reflects both a huge increase in in infrastructure spending as well as additional money for running costs.

“The WA Health budget now represents 28% of the total WA Budget – from 26 per cent last year.

“I am especially pleased that the Government has increased spending to mental health, recognising this issue as one of the most important for thousands of West Australians,” Dr Choong said.

“The AMA (WA) has repeatedly called for additional money to be allocated to mental health and this is a very good boost. However, there are still needs in mental health that have not been assisted yet and we will continue to push for this money especially the hiring of additional medical professionals.”

However, Dr Choong expressed serious concern about the lack of additional funding for medical research.

“Not only this, but medical research seems to have been removed entirely as a separate line item in the budget,” he said.

“We have fought long and hard for increased funding to medical research. We will not give up on this campaign. It is vital to our future as a society.”

"It is my hope that we can tackle the challenges our profession faces, united as one. If we dislike our working hours, our pay, gender inequality or low training opportunities, we can change these together. As a nurse in my previous life, I know that when a profession stands as one, people listen."

Dr Rebecca Cogan

Blog

Sexual health the focus for Dr YES trip

Monday, 21st January 2019

Following a hectic 12 months, Dr YES farewelled 2018 with its annual end-of-year rural trip to the South West. Over five days, a team of 25 volunteers reached more than 2,000 high school students from Mandurah to Busselton and everywhere …